NORTH SAILS BLOG

SUPERMAXI COMANCHE SMASHES TRANSPAC MONOHULL COURSE RECORD Comanche surfs into Transpac history books with a token spinnaker made of North Sails 3Di FORCE Jim and Kristy Clark’s record breaking machine, Comanche, started their 2017 Transpac Race off with a bang. Halfway from Los Angeles to Hawaii, she broke the race’s 24hr distance record, averaging around 20.2 knots and covering 484.1 nautical miles. They didn’t slow down! With a smaller crew and sail inventory than normal, the crew pushed the boat to the finish line in a record time for the race, 12 hours, 40 minutes and 54 seconds faster than Alfa Romeo’s time to beat in 2009. “This was another proof of concept for this boat,” he continued. “We can adapt it to be competitive in any race around the world. We are all just stunned at what this boat can do” said Stan, being his 7th first-to-finish result in the Transpac race, and the 4th time he has assisted in the win for the Elapsed Time Record Trophy as the navigator. “The perfect boat with the perfect crew, we did a lot of work to mode Comanche to the lowest safety limits of stability and to minimize the weight wherever possible,” said Ken Read, skipper of Comanche and President of North Sails Group. A steady 10-20 knot breeze was the perfect conditions for the “fat-bottomed girl”, traveling at full steam (an average of 24 knots) across the Pacific to the big island. With a crew of just 15 onboard, the 2017 Transpac was a new test for Comanche. They also had a limited sail inventory, consisting of one mainsail, one code 0, three headsails, two staysails, and only one A3 spinnaker. The inventory is 100% North Sails 3Di – both upwind and downwind sails. “That A3 has proven to be an extremely versatile and fast sail for us,” said Honey, referring to the newest sail onboard made of 3Di FORCE – a new application of 3Di technology specific to downwind sails. “It’s nice to be in Hawaii, but when you get to sail a boat like this, this is special, this is an honor, this is something that none of us take lightly. We know how privileged we are to sail on this boat. It’s up to us to just let the boat do its thing and then some.” said Read. © Sharon Green READ MORE

HL ENLOE AND MIGHTY MERLOE MAKE TRANSPAC HISTORY Mighty Merloe Sets Transpac Multihull Course Record, finishing three hours ahead of Thornburg’s Phaedo 3 © Sharon Green When HL Enloe brought his Orma 60, Mighty Merloe, to California, he set a new bar for speed that was not only striking but rather inconvenient. “In the beginning, we convinced race committees to let us enter, and not surprisingly we’d reach the finish line days ahead of the fleet. With no witnesses present, we called in our finish time and that was that,” recalled Steve Calder, a long-time crew member on Mighty Merloe and a sail designer at North Sails. Now five years later, the SoCal offshore racing scene is fully onboard. Under yesterday’s afternoon sun, Mighty Merloe sailed the last hundred miles to Hawaii to finish the 2017 Transpac Race first in a class of five maxi trimarans, setting a new elapsed time-to-beat for multihulls: 4 days, 7 hours, 3 minutes and 30 seconds. “The enthusiasm Enloe has put into this program really opened a door to multihull sailing in Southern California,” said Patrick Murray, the North Sails Expert in San Diego, who manages the inventory for Mighty Merloe.” “This is an important record because it will be hard to break, but also because the team has put in so much these past few years. The Transpac Record has been an important goal for everyone.” Together, Patrick and Steve Calder spend time sailing with the crew and then use the North design tools to maximize the Orma 60’s performance potential. A new set of 3Di RAW upwind sails (mainsail and one new headsail) and a 3Di FORCE Gennaker were added to the inventory this year. “Transpac was the goal, so we did quite a few regional offshore races early in the season to prepare,” said Patrick. Enloe and crew broke the Socal 300 record last month and put forth a strong performance in the Newport – Ensenada Race, ceding the win to Lloyd Thornburg’s Phaedo 3 just before the finish. For Transpac, offshore names you may have heard before (Loick Peyron, Jacques Vincent, and Franck Proffit) all brought onboard a lot of multihull expertise. Combined with Enloe’s steadfast team, the well prepared – and optimally tuned – boat scored the most important race win of the season. In true Transpac fashion, the course was brutally rough for the first 24 -36 hours, until the fleet reached the trade winds and could head south. “We had no idea we would get a record – it started as a race against other boats,” Steve explained, referring to tough competition from MOD 70s Phaedo 3 and Maserati. “We knew to push hard against the 70s in those early reaching conditions, and that would leave us in good shape for the tradewinds.” In the end, preparation was key; Steve said their pre-racing planning and weather routing was spot-on. “We sailed very much to our own race, knew what to look for and played our cards as best we could.” The crew kept their heads out of the boat when things got tricky, being selective on maneuvers and jibing when it was appropriate. “We jibed six times. From what we gathered, the other guys jibed double digits we think because they stayed farther south. It was a tough call for us to stay to the North, and in the end, we stuck with our routing and the original plan paid off.” Phaedo 3 finished close behind Mighty Merloe, with Giovanni Soldini’s Maserati in third. Two other multihulls (Gunboat 62 Chim Chim, and the 60’ Jeanneau Trimaran LoeReal) are currently still racing, yet very much in the mix on corrected time. North Sails provided sails for the entire 2017 Transpac Multihull fleet. The majority chose 3Di RAW and 3Di ENDURANCE for their core qualities of performance and durability. Steve and Patrick both expressed appreciation for being part of such an influential program. To learn more about Enloe’s story, check out The Multihull Maverick, an article published by Sailing World in 2014, which quotes project manager Nat Iyengar: “Enloe is a trailblazer. He has put himself out there to experience something significant, which in his case, is extreme speed.” Transpac 2017 winning crew on Mighty Merloe: HL Enloe, Steve Calder (Main Trimmer), Jay Davis (Bowman), Artie Means (Navigator), Loïck Peyron (Helm), Franck Proffit (Helm), Will Suto (Grinder), and Jacques Vincent (Co-Skipper). Loïck Peyron, helm for Mighty Merloe, and Lloyd Thornburg, owner of Phaedo3 celebrating their finish on the big island of Hawaii © Richard & Rachel / Team Phaedo READ MORE

Eivind Melleby and Joshua Revkin take the win at the Star Worlds The 2017 Star World Championships took place in Troense, Denmark last week with 70 boats entered into the regatta. Star World Championships Podium Day 1 started with 15-20 knots, which the race officer Thomas Jørgensen described as ‘perfect Star conditions’. The wind, however, picked up throughout the day to 25 knots which proved too windy for some of the competitors, with several boat breakages due to the wind. With more wind forecasted for day 2, racing was abandoned for the day to keep the sailors and their equipment safe onshore. Coming into day 3 there were strong winds again. Racing was again postponed for the day for a couple of hours, allowing the wind to drop down to manageable conditions which meant the second race of the series could take place. Day 4 the wind settled down to 15-20 knots allowing the race committee to fit 2 more races into the series. The morning of the final day of racing, there was little wind in the harbor, meaning racing was again postponed, however as the day went on the wind filled into 8-9 knots fitting in the final race of the series in comfortable sailing conditions. If you are interested in updating your sail inventory get in touch with our Star Experts! Get more info on the fastest sails in the Star Class Hubert Merkelbach & Brian Fatih Stefan Myralf & Magnus Elvström Myralf Facundo Olezza Bazan & Juan Pablo Engelhard READ MORE

33rd ANNUAL NEWPORT REGATTA Narragansett Bay delivers mixed conditions for the 33rd annual Newport Regatta, with North Sails clients finishing strong across the board Another action-packed weekend took place on the docks at Sail Newport, as 177 boats flocked to this local sailing hub to take part in the annual Newport Regatta. Sailors from 24 U.S. states and three countries made for tough competition across the board, and the event was full of surprises as the weather served up new conditions each day-keeping fleets on their toes and ready for anything. North Sails is a proud sponsor of the Newport Regatta, offering on the water support through North U Regatta Services, post-race debriefs and a dedicated clinic for the J/24 fleet – a popular class among local sailors. The clinic featured a panel discussion with North U coach and J/24 skipper, Mike Ingham, North Sails designer, Mike Marshall, President of North Sails One Design, Tim Healy, and prior NA Champion, Travis Odenbach. The group answered questions about their different preferences in rig tuning and setup, offering ideas about would work well and what wouldn’t in the expected conditions. Insightful questions from fellow fleet members focused around sail trim, and the big question of the day was when to make the decision to switch from the Genoa to the blade. Ultimately the deciding factor was your sailing area. Sailors were advised to keep the genoa when breeze is up and waves are bigger; even though you would be using it at the top of its wind range, the sail will provide more punch through the waves and maintain boat speed. The blade should be used in shifty, flatter water where you expect to tack more often, and/or when you need to make quick maneuvers in the heavier air. The J/24s were not able to go out as a fleet for the clinic due to inclement weather, but much was observed and retained from the class experts panel discussion. The Melges 20, J/70s, RS Aero, 110, and M32 fleets started racing Friday in very challenging conditions. Hard rain fell consistently with shifty winds, and large puffs streaming down the race course, making things interesting for sailors and race committee alike. The wind was shifted 30-90 degrees throughout the day, keeping the competitors and committee on their toes and ready for changes to incur. Saturday was a completely different day, where fog off Block Island sound greeted sailors on the outside circle, but slowly dissipated and brought a lovely 10-12 knot breeze. With another fog line that moved in, the wind was shifty, but cleared and settled, building to a beautiful 15-17 knots and two additional races were completed in great sailing conditions. On Sunday the sea breeze was tricky to settle, but when it did, it was a full on 18-20 knots, with some larger gusts keeping things exciting and fun, proving that Newport in the summertime can really offer fantastic sailing. Sailors went home tired and happy. Awards set up and ready! Pacific Yankee, Melges 20 Winners 110 Winners, Team Retrad Ensign Winners, Team Chowder READ MORE

NORTH SAILS WILL BE AT THE 2017 THISTLE NATIONALS Join Mike Ingham and Paul Abdullah at Chautauqua Yacht Club ON-THE-WATER CLINIC WITH MIKE INGHAM Join Mike Ingham on Friday July 21st at 1:00pm for an on-the-water clinic followed by a debrief. COFFEE WITH NORTH & TIP OF THE DAY Join us Monday-Friday between 7:00 and 8:00 am for your morning coffee under the North tent. Also, at 7:30 every morning we will be presenting the “Tip of the Day” where Mike, Paul and other Thistle experts share their thoughts on what they expect for the day’s racing. POST-RACING DEBRIEFS Mike and Paul will moderate several debriefs throughout the regatta. Stay tuned for dates/times. This is your chance to hear from the days top performers and learn their secrets to success as well as ask questions from the successful teams that day. Learn more about North Sails’ fast Thistle sails 2017 Thistle Nationals website READ MORE

A TRIPLE HEADER WEEKEND, NORTH SAILS TAKES THREE CLASS WINS IN THE ETCHELLS, SNIPES, AND LIGHTNING GREAT LAKES CHAMPIONSHIPS In Detroit at the Bayview Yacht Club, 10 Etchells teams competed in the Great Lakes Champs with North Sails client Bruce Burton and his team on Firing Line took the overall win after eight races. Bruce and team used the PC-F, LM-2L, LM-2H, AUS VMG, and Full Runner spinnaker. Congrats to our clients for finishing 1, 2*, 3, and 4, and winning 7 out of 8 races. At the North Cape Yacht Club, the Lightning Class also had their Great Lakes Champs, with Ernie Dieball’s team with Jacqueline Dieball and Amy Simonson taking home the 1st place trophy. North Sails clients finished 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 overall. Ernie’s weapon of choice was the M5, 5A+, and R2. Also at the NCYC, the Snipe fleet had their Championships, with Jno and Karen Disch took the win using North’s SW-4 main and R3 jib. Congrats to our clients for winning all three Great Lakes Championships Titles! Lightning Great Lakes Champions! Skipper Ernie Dieball with his team Etchells Great Lakes Champions! Team Firing Line all smiles READ MORE

AMY & JEFF LINTON WIN THE 2017 FLYING SCOT NORTH AMERICANS The Flying Scot North Americans were jammed packed with great sailing and fun for all! Sailors using North Sails dominated the results placing 1,2,3,4,5,7,8*, and 9th overall! A trip to the midwest in the summer typically means sailors prepare for warm temperatures and light breezes however Sandusky Bay had something else in mind for the last week of June this year. Lake Erie and northern Ohio reared back and threw the 68 teams at the 2017 Flying Scot North American Championships quite a curveball as, it seemed, someone turned on the wind machine and forgot to turn it off! Westerly breezes dominated all 5 days of the event with breezes ranging mostly between 14 and 20 mph (with a few exceptions) and while the breeze created a challenge for some of the lighter teams the regatta was flawlessly organized with plenty of opportunities to enjoy camaraderie, win some fun prizes and even pick up a few tips from some of the class experts throughout the week. Brian Hayes and Zeke Horowitz hosted a morning coffee talk each day affording competitors a chance to pick up a tip and to to chat about techniques that work well, sail trim, and maneuvers that prove to achieve race wins. Friday night and Saturday were spent measuring boats, practicing, and tuning rigs for competitors. Zeke and Brian did a presentation for the club on sail shape and trimming on Saturday night, which was informative for all who attended. Sunday there was more wind than anyone had asked for which led to the Women’s and Juniors events being cancelled and kept all the boats on their trailers, so the fine tuning tricks continued onshore, and sailors prepared for the racing that would begin the next day. Monday, the North Sails team hosted “Coffee with North”, which included a tip of the day. The majority of the fleet attended, and found it helpful to hear the guys talk about their techniques in big breeze. How to make a Flying Scot “go” in big breeze and chop was the most valued tip of the day-Spoiler alert! It’s tricky! The first two days of the event was the qualifying round where fresh breeze greeted competitors, allowing for 2 races to be completed. After racing, North Sails Expert Zeke Horowitz hosted a debrief for the fleet where sailors asked questions and learned some new tricks to better their performance for the remainder of the week. The Championship races held in much more temperate wind conditions until Thursday’s finale where a ‘wall of wind’ filled in, deeming conditions unsafe for sailing. All in all a great week spent in Sandusky, with challenging conditions raising the bar for the Flying Scot sailors. Overall sailors seemed happy with their performances and word in the parking lot was that the coffee with North morning briefings and afternoon debriefs helped them learn a lot from the class experts. Certainly, at a minimum, everyone had a great time enjoying the hospitality, catching up with old friends and making new connections. Congratulations to the Ohio District, Sandusky Sailing Club and the bevy of volunteers for running and organizing one of the finest NACs in years. Also, congratulations to our clients for upping the competition and sailing to the top of the leaderboard this week! Learn more about the fastest sails for the Flying Scot Full Results READ MORE

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE TIPS FOR RACING ON NARRAGANSETT BAY Catch your racing tips from J/22 World Champion and North Sails Designer, Mike Marshall When sailing in Newport, the wind will either blow from the North, or we’ll get the trademark Southwest sea breeze. The other wind directions, East and West, are far less common. If you are sailing on an offshore circle in the sea breeze, the typical wind direction is between 215-255 degrees. The general rule of thumb is if it blows left of that, you end up going to the left, and likewise, if it trends to the right side of that range, you’ll end up hitting the right side of the course. As the sea breeze builds, it tends to fill from the ocean. On the first beat of a race in filling sea breeze, you’ll want to be on the tack that leads you farther into the ocean. The current will either be coming in or leaving the bay. As it leaves the bay, it will either curve to the left and into Block Island Sound, or curve right. It’s always smart to get out there early and look at the lobster pots around the course – the further you sail up the course, the more thorough your understanding will be of the tide on that day. Racing on the inshore circles will be more current sensitive. The ebb and flow will switch close to the times posted, but keep in mind we had a lot of rain on Friday. As a general rule of thumb, the current tends to switch on the Jamestown side first, close to the shore, and then move across the bay. Probably the last area to completely switch is the channel. Again, lobster traps and boys are plentiful and offer a great read on what is happening with the current. Whoever catches that current switch first, and makes the most of it, are going to be the boats leading the race. There are a couple of places you can hide from the current – shallow areas and beneath Rose and Gould Island (depending on your racing area) are examples. Pressure south of Rose and Goat Islands will be shifty in the Northerly direction and fairly steady in the sea breeze. The current will largely dictate your decisions. Courses North of the bridge can be a little tricky. In Potters Cove, the southerly breeze will partially funnel over the land and drop in on the south side of the course. You can end up with two breezes – one that is coming down the bay and under the bridge (this tends to be a little bit more left), and one that fills over Jamestown and into Potters Cove (this tends to be a little more right). A good rule of thumb is to figure out which breeze the windward mark sits in and, depending on how much the current is helping our hindering you, working the same breeze the windward mark is in will get you that last shift to cross in. © Chris Howell © Chuck Allen/ North Sails READ MORE

AROUND THE ISLAND IN RECORD TIME! North-powered clients top the leaderboard in 50-mile race around the Isle of Wight The Round the Island Race in Cowes, UK is a fun and exciting distance race where sailors from all over the world test their racing skills around the Isle of Wight. This year, 1,342 boats started the counterclockwise race around the island, totaling just over 50 miles. The racing divisions were split into eleven starting groups which rendezvoused off of Yarmouth. With nine observation points, it was easy for spectators to catch the racing action. For many boats in the fleet, this would be their first race against such a large number of overall competitors. Plenty of wind and a nice ebbing tide made for a quick race for those who had earlier start times and lighter hulls. Congratulations to our clients for a steadfast performance, including a record-breaking course time for MOD70 Concise (2 hours, 22 minutes, and 23 seconds), who took 1st in line honors and raised the benchmark for speed in this iconic offshore race. This year 95% of the boats that entered the race were able to complete it before the time limit. Highland Fling XI with owner Irvine Laidlaw took 1st in the Monohull Division, winning the Observer Trophy & Decanter. Highland Fling XI also took the Silver Roman Bowl Trophy for placing 2nd in O/A IRC. Yes! with Adam Gosling took 1st Place in O/A IRC, and the Gold Roman Bowl & Cloudy Bay Decanter. Fast 40+ winner on corrected time was Sir Keith Mills’ Invictus, winning the Cloudy Bay Trophy for 1st place overall. In the IRC division, more classic boat designs were racing for the best corrected time. Some sailors in the IRC divisions had already done this race before this year, so things played out as usual. The dying pressure after the start impeded on some expectations, but IRC sailors that had later start times still enjoyed their race, which for some was nearly 9 hours or so. Mandarin, an International Folkboat who ended up taking the overall win in Class 3, slowly pulled away enough to secure the race win. MOD70 ‘Concise’ takes 1st in Line Honors, breaking the record around the island in just over 2 hours and 22 minutes! © Sportgraphy.tv READ MORE

FLASHBACK TO 1920: THE AMERICA’S CUP First sailed in 1891, the America’s Cup has gone on to become not just the oldest trophy in international sport but potentially the most difficult to win. The Cup has a strong tradition of bringing the best of the marine industry together. From designers and engineers, to boat builders and the sailors who push the boats to the edge of breaking, each team shows up at the start line with their A-game. Ready to sail, ready to win and knowing that “there is no second.” 2017 begins another new era in America’s Cup history; the Cup is now New Zealand’s to defend. The North Sails corporate office sits in an old building in Newport, Rhode Island. Across the hall is a library filled with sailing history and artifacts, dating as far back as the late 19th century. One of the items housed in the library is the log book from Resolute, the American Defender of the America’s Cup in 1920. With a few America’s Cup veterans in the Newport office (notably Ken Read and Kimo Worthington) you can bet we took pause for a few hours to dig through the handwritten log. A step back in time to see how far this race and the yachting industry has come. From the beginning, the America’s Cup has always been a race of technology and innovation. In the 35th edition, we saw foiling catamarans, wing sailors, computer generated graphics and the army of cyclers on Emirates Team New Zealand. We’ll soon turn the page to the 36th edition of the America’s Cup. And the rest is history. READ MORE

79th ANNUAL QUEEN’S CUP Sailors in the Midwest race across Lake Michigan in the 79th Annual Queen’s Cup Distance Race, where North Sails clients proved to be fastest, finishing as dawn struck and on top of the leaderboard! With ideal sailing conditions, the 79th Queen’s Cup was smooth sailing for 140 competitors. An annual distance race from South Shore YC in Milwaukee across Lake Michigan, North Sails Clients finished in the top three in 12 classes. A North U weather briefing was hosted by program director Bill Gladstone at 11:00 am on the morning of the race. In his presentation Bill suggested the bigger boats could pretty much stop paying attention after the midnight forecast, as the great majority of the fleet were expected to finish after racing 76.3 miles by sunrise. Well, Bill’s prediction was spot-on! The winds were nearly dead aft with an average around 15 knots; the ORMA 60 made it across the lake in just over 5 hours, and VO70 il mostro completed her crossing in just over 6 ½ hours. North U’s Expedition and Routing Weather Briefing with Bill Gladstone Using the Sailing Weather Service forecast, Bill Gladstone ran a number of Expedition tracks for boats of various sizes and performance levels, to give sailors an idea of what to expect during the course of the race. Bill, who sailed on Dave Bohl’s Odyssey as navigator, has been briefing the Queens Cup fleet on weather and routing for three years and it is always extremely well received because he really knows his stuff! Expedition routing had nearly identical tracks for all classes; head South on starboard gybe until you were nearly on the same latitude as the finish, gybe onto port and in. Winds held at the predicted 15 knots with the occasional rain cloud causing velocity changes. “As we hit the starting line in full flight with our spinnaker up, we knew the weather had lined up perfectly for us. I felt like if we didn’t do something special it was probably operator error. There would be absolutely no errors on the part of the humans on this night,” said Dave Bohl, skipper of Tartan 34 Odyssey, who took 1st on PHRF overall. “To average 6.4 knots of VMG on a 34-foot boat manufactured in 1972 is evidence of some pretty favorable conditions for her. There was enough wind for us to hit her hull speed, while the big boys would have benefitted from more. My little boat now can brag winning both the Chicago Mac and Queens Cup! “I really feel like we are just hitting our stride, and I take great pride in the team that has come to surround her.” Dave and the team on Odyssey race in PHRF with North 3Di upwind sails, and credit no special tricks to their success. “Practice helps a ton. Attending the North U. Race Week in Captiva made a huge difference this year. It knocks all the rust off and I always learn something important that I can use later down the line at regattas. We put Odyssey on the starting line exactly twice a year: for the Queen’s Cup and the Chicago-Mac (they are all my wife lets me do!), so to be able to say she has won both races is both great and extremely hard to believe. I recognize that far better sailors than me in far bigger and fancier boats spend their sailing lives trying to win one of these races and most never do.” “An overall fleet victory in a big mixed fleet such as the Queen’s Cup requires many elements: A properly prepared and well sailed boat combined with sailing conditions that favor the particular size and type of boat. There are elements you can control and those that you can’t. The challenge is to do your part and hope the other elements fall into place. For Dave Bohl and the crew of Odyssey, this year it did.”- Bill Gladstone, Navigator onboard Odyssey A very special congratulations to North clients at the Queen’s Cup: PHRF Overall Queen’s Cup winner, Dave Bohl, and his team on Tartan 34C Odyssey sailed well, and fast! ORR Silver Jubilee Trophy Winner, Mike Schoendorf, on his Riptide 41 Blue was also very fast, and his crew did an excellent job keeping him in the lead. 1st Overall PHRF, Odyssey! Onboard Tartan 34 Odyssey The navigator takes a breather onboard Odyssey! READ MORE

BLOCK ISLAND RACE WEEK Sail, power or ferry yourself to Block Island for a great week of racing and the best mudslides, where North Sails clients topped 11 fleets in the 26th annual Block Island Race Week For the third year in a row, North Sails is proud to sponsor Block Island Race Week. A local favorite to kick-off the summer, one-hundred forty-three boats convened for a week of racing around the buoys, and around the island, in one of New England’s most unique sailing venues. Sailors enjoyed the sights, sounds, and tastes of the island with old and new faces connecting, all with the passion for sailing matched with fantastic social events after racing. There were highlights all across the board, from the J/105 class to the ORC Club division. North U was on site to host dock talks, evening clinic debriefs, and on the water coaching with the J/109, J/105, and J/88 classes. Sailors got the most out of collaborating with North Sails experts and reviewing video and photos after sailing, where they could engage with their fellow competitors. Points of focus included hiking techniques, weight placement, sail trim, and mainsail twist. For those that needed repairs, North Sails loft was onsite and provided overnight repair services, making sure sailors were able to get back on the water everyday. We enjoyed our time “on island” and would like to extend our congratulations to North-powered clients for sailing well, topping no less than 11 fleets. Recap from the J/88 fleet In a small but competitive fleet, Doug McKeige and Mike Bruno showed up with 3Di sails and blew the competition out of the ballpark. As always, it came down to starts, speed, boat handling, and tactics. Starting was easy in the J/88 (particularly at this event) because it was a very spacious line, making for little to no excuse for a bad start. Speed favored the North customers, Jazz and Wings in particular, who seemed to have better speed all week with their new North 3Di. The tactician on Wings was hiking hard and keeping his team very motivated not only in speed but also in determination. At the North U debrief on Tuesday, the key takeaway was that rig tension matters a lot. The new North tuning guide is out and quite accurate, with the caveat that more tension on the lowers can be used as soon as the bottom third of the main starts to look too flat. In the big breeze, dropping the in-hauler to open up the slot helps make the steering easier. Lastly, if you have a long drag race, the main trimmer should hike as much as possible. Hiking in the J/88 matters almost as much as it does in a Laser. Make sure you’ve got good lifeline covers for your crew! Iris Vogel, skipper of Deviation generously hosted a fleet party at her house on Tuesday. All J/88 competitors enjoyed the fact that the skies parted and we had the opportunity to share a meal and a few cocktails with friends with a great view overlooking the ocean. The talk of the evening turned to the North American’s in Youngstown which everyone in attendance is fired up to attend. Morris 42, Ranger, sailing beautifully with North 3Di sails in PHRF 2 Gossip, 3rd Place J/109 Team Jazz, J/88 First Place Winner ‘Spookie’ on North Sails Wednesday’s race around the island with their Fractional Code 0 2nd Place Corinthian, J/109 Emoticon J/105 winner, Good Trade TP52 winner, Spookie, IRC 1 3rd Place PHRF 3, Cymothoe J/111 Partnership, winner of PHRF 1 Ker 50 Temptation, winner of IRC 2 Swan 42 The Cat Came Back, winner of Club ORC J/122, Teamwork, winner of IRC 3 Gunboat 55 winner, Jammy North U on the water coaching and support with expert, Chuck Allen READ MORE

J/70 ALCATEL CUP-ACT 3 73 boats met in Riva del Garda for one of the biggest European J/70 events of the season with North-powered teams finishing at the top! With perfect sailing conditions, amazing competition, and one of the most competitive J/70 fleets in the world, the 3rd Act of the J/70 Alcatel Cup on Lake Garda was an all- around success for all sailors. Claudia Rossi’s Petite Terrible topped the seventy-three boat fleet with two race wins and a total of only 18 points. In second place was Carlo Alberini’s Calvi Network, followed by Mauro Roversi with his team J Curve. Petite Terrible sailed with North Sails XCS-1 mainsail, J-2 Jib and AP-1 Spinnaker. Learn more about our winning J/70 products. Congratulations to our clients on yet again another perfect performance. We’ll see you in Scarlino for the 4th act of the series! © Mauro Melandri / Zerogradinord © Mauro Melandri / Zerogradinord © Mauro Melandri / Zerogradinord © Mauro Melandri / Zerogradinord © Mauro Melandri / Zerogradinord © Mauro Melandri / Zerogradinord READ MORE

YACHTING WORLD DAYBOAT RACE WEEK 2017 Father and son duo takes the #1 spot, continuing their family legacy North Sails Ireland’s Nigel Young and his youngest son James, aged 11, raced at this year’s YW Dayboat Week in a boat built by Nigel’s father, Don Young. The regatta was hosted by the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club in Falmouth. James succeeded in winning the Cadet Race and his name will now appear alongside his father, who won the trophy back in 1980 and his older brother Jack, who won in 2016. The Young Family have a long association with the YWDB Class, as Don built his first boat back in the 60’s and since that time has built about six more boats. They are all cold molded smooth skin boats and all varnished, no painting allowed! Nigel’s current boat PaPa 2 has now won the Championship three times and the family look forward to defending the title again in 2018. Fully powered by North Sails, the NY-4 Jib and the M-4 Mainsail, these designs now also have the three Championship titles under their belt. For more information on North Sails products for Dayboat sailing, visit our class page! Nigel and his son James, share the family passion of Dayboat sailing YW Dayboat winners! Father/son duo, Nigel and James! READ MORE

SOCAL SAILING AT LONG BEACH RACE WEEK North Sails teams sweep J/70, Viper 640, Sportboat, Farr 40, and the newest class at Race Week, the Pac 52 Long Beach Race Week 2017 was an absolute success with amazing breeze, comfortable warm temperatures, and lots of fun and exciting racing. Winds ranged between 10-24 knots all three days, keeping things interesting on all three race courses. Fourteen fleets raced either inside the breakwater or just outside the harbor. The kelp was a major factor for those racing inside, while those outside battled the swell, especially on Sunday. The weekend was full of fun, competition, carnage, parties, and a water taxi between Alamitos YC and Long Beach YC made sure no social gatherings were missed. West Coast sailors always look forward to LBRW. The close proximity of the open ocean and a large bay behind what has to be one of the world’s largest breakwaters makes for some prime sailing conditions for boats of all sizes. This year’s edition added extra excitement with four brand-new Pac 52s racing one design. The Pac 52 class is growing, and six boats are expected on the start line in September for San Francisco’s Big Boat Series. J/70 sailors had 28 boats, close to the same number at the World’s last September. Winning crew on ‘Cool Story Bro’, led by North Sails Chris Snow, won the class and three 1st place finishes also earned them One Design Boat of the Week. The top Corinthian boat, Pat Toole’s ‘3 Big Dogs’, also used a full North Sails inventory. Conditions were very typical for Long Beach this time of year, with moderate southwest breeze each morning that increased and clocked right through late afternoon. The J/70 course inside the breakwall had a ‘washing machine’ effect that kept things challenging. With three days of racing, and no throw-outs, winning teams had to be on their game and completely focused. Chris Snow’s J/70 takeaways: Don’t foul Don’t be over early Start in an non-congested area of line and keep the bow down through the chop Downwind, sail in your own water and work the boat aggressively “We sailed with 745 pounds of crew weight. 720 is a good all around number so I was worried about being too heavy. The practice days last week were on the lighter side and so I was pleased to see we were OK going downwind, which is where being too heavy would typically show up.” We set our forestay at 4’7″ of rake, 1/2″ longer than our tuning guide suggests. I was happy with this setting especially as the breeze came on. In general the J/70 has neutral helm due to its high aspect rudder. As the breeze builds and you drop the traveller and ease the mainsheet to keep the boat from heeling too much, the tendency is for the helm to get very light; so light that when you ease the main a lot in a puff, the bow of the boat will go away from the wind rather than towards it. Adding more rake helps the boat to luff up slightly in the puffs, which is much better for performance and VMG upwind. Below is the tuning guide we follow. Our base is 16 on the uppers and two full turns off the lowers after they are set to 15 on the PT-2 gauge. Remember that as you tighten your shrouds, you must also tighten the backstay. When it is breezy, the backstay bridle should be VERY tight so you can get extra leverage with the backstay adjuster. You can also shorten your backstay 2-3 feet to bring the apex of the bridle higher and get even more leverage. We had good speed upwind and downwind. Here are some things we worked on for each part of the course: Upwind: Keep the boat on an even angle of heel all the time Traveler in the middle to two car widths above the middle Play the backstay almost constantly, the skipper can do this Play mainsheet constantly, tactician Outhaul tight but not max tight Cunningham to smooth luff in over 14 knots Downwind: Pump kite and main together to help get the boat on a plane Trim vang when pumping main. Ease quickly after pump, then pull back on Once on wave steer down aggressively to better VMG downwind Head up before bow buries into wave ahead Win-on-Wing does work when it is windy and is a great way to get away from bad air or wave train Practice this first Sails: For sails we used the standard North XCS main, J2H jib and AP-1 spinnaker. These same sails were used by the team who won the Corinthian fleet. Other tips: Install Auto-Ratchet blocks for both the spinnaker and jib sheets (On the jib it makes furling the jib a breeze) On the jib sheets don’t scrimp on line diameter-Larger is easier on the hands Learn to use the Velocitek if you have one and have one crew constantly call in distance to the line Remember the Velocitek reads distance 90 degrees to you from the line (not the distance straight ahead to the line) Thanks to Jim Murrell and the J/70 West Coast class for rallying for a great event. Congratulations to our clients! 1st Place J/70 team ‘Cool Story Bro’ © Joy Sailing © Joy Sailing © Joy Sailing © Cynthia Sinclair © Cynthia Sinclair © Cynthia Sinclair © Cynthia Sinclair © Cynthia Sinclair © Cynthia Sinclair © Cynthia Sinclair © Cynthia Sinclair © Cynthia Sinclair READ MORE

ROAD TO NA’S AND WORLDS: ETCHELLS PACIFIC COAST CHAMPS North Powered Teams Finish on Top in San Diego! San Diego delivered excellent and challenging conditions for the 2017 Etchells Pacific Coast Championship. Winds from 3-16+ knots were seen over the two-day event sailed on the Coronado Roads. The head of the class this weekend was Argyle Campbell and his crew of Victor Diaz, Alec Anderson and Jeremy Wilmot on ‘Rock n’ Roll’. They never finished a race out of top three and won the regatta with a race to spare. Nice work guys! Second overall was the Corinthian team ‘Blonde Antelope’ led by Keith Whittemore. Keith’s crew consisted of Brian Thomas, Kevin Dow, and local rockstar Sabot sailor, Peter Busch. Keith’s team sailed a consistent series with only one race out of the top ten and had a very strong second day scoring 3,4,4,1, on Sunday. It is great to see these guys performing so well! Most teams are using the PC-F main, LM2-H and L jib, and full Radial/VMG spinnaker combinations. Most are opting for the LM-2H when is doubt as to how the conditions light play out in a particular race. The combination of double snaps on the luff and the different batten combinations to round up or straighten the leech of the LM-2H make it a very versatile sail for this classic designed boat. Congratulations to our clients for placing in the top 10 at the PCC’s! Next up for the West Coast Etchells fleet is the Orca Bowl at SDYC May 20-21. August 16-19th SDYC will host the 2017 North Americans. The big event of the year is the 2017 Worlds which will be hosted by San Francisco Yacht Club September 23rd to 30th. For any help with your Etchells program do not hesitate to contact Skip Dieball, Chris Snow, Eric Doyle or any member of the North One Design North America team. Our team is standing by to help your team get the most from your sailing! Full results 1st Place Corinthian ‘Blond Antelope’ 1st Place Overall ‘Rock n’ Roll’ READ MORE

PAT HUGHES’S MELVIN WINS THE A SCOW NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP North-powered boats finish 1-2-3-4-5! Minnetonka, Minn. (June 23-25, 2017) — Pat Hughes and the Melvin team were crowned A Scow National Champions. Hughes put up an impressive 13 points over six races at the championship hosted by the Minnetonka Yacht Club. Sailing on the Melvin (M-21) alongside Hughes was Harry Melges, Coye Harrett, Tony Jewett, Chris Jewett, Matt Ripkey and Mark ‘Doctor’ Christensen. Vincent Porter and the Eagle (I-1) finished the regatta on a high note, winning both races on the final day. His two race wins squeezed him a notch higher on the leaderboard, landing the Eagle team in second place overall with 21 points. With 22 points, Tom Whowell’s G Force (I-12) helmed by the young R.J. Porter took third place. Rounding out the top five were Mike Keefe’s Ajax and Tom Freytag’s MadCap. “We had a great three days with unbelievable conditions and a great group of people. This win is really good for our youth program here. It’s a big deal to win the championship on your own lake at your own yacht club; it’s very encouraging to these young local sailors.”, said Hughes. Minnetonka Yacht Club pulled out all the stops for the national championship. Lighthouse Island and the surrounding waters of Lake Minnetonka proved to be the perfect battleground. Spectators came from all around to watch the mighty A Scows duke it out. Twenty of these 38-foot yachts raced in the event. Melges A Scows are built by Melges Performance Sailboats in Zenda, Wisconsin USA. With six or seven crew, the A Scow is the fastest and largest of the Melges Scow family. Nothing compares to its century of heritage, delivering a combination of raw power, speed and performance unmatched in one-design sailing. A true classic, the A Scow is monumental to watch, not to mention powerful to race. READ MORE

Kiel Week 2017 North Sails powers leaders in the J/24, J/70, Melges 24, 470 Men’s and Women’s Classes at Kiel Week One of the largest sailing events of the year, Kiel Week is an annual regatta held in the capital of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The event attracts 5,000 sailors on roughly 2,000 ships, and estimates a total of three million visitors each year. A competitive event, especially for Olympic Classes, Kieler Woche is organized in a team effort between the Yacht Club of Kiel, the Norddeutscher Regattaverein, the Hamburger Sailing Club, and the Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee. North clients performed well in the men’s and women’s 470. Men’s Team Mat Belcher and Will Ryan claimed the gold medal, 20 points ahead of 2nd place finishers from Russia, Pavel Sozykin and Denis Gribanov. In the Women’s 470, Frederike Loewe and Anna Markfort finished 2nd in the medal race, won the tie-breaker overall against Poland’s Agnieszka Skrqypulec and Irmina Gliszczynska, taking home the 1st Place Victory. In the competitive J/70 and Melges 24 fleets, North-powered boats took the win with German sailors, Jens Marten, topping the J/70 and Lennart Burke winning the Melges 24. Congratulations to our clients for a fantastic week of sailing! North U’s Mike Ingham Leads J/24 Fleet in Race Clinic A clinic hosted by the local J/24 class was opened to all competitors during the week. Coach Mike Ingham of North U stepped in to host the off-the-water presentation on the evening before the final race day, where he focused on the stark contrast in conditions between day 1 and 2. Mike was sailing on Nautalytics Following is a synopsis of what the class learned and discussed, written by Mike. Day 1 and 2: Rig Tuning in Big Waves and Breeze Day 1 was windy with sharp confused waves, especially difficult on port tack. We tuned one level down on the shrouds for power and soon realized, with the waves, we needed more power than so we eased off to one step below maximum tensions. I twisted the main on port, by pulling up the traveler and easing the mainsheet – neither of which I would do if the water was flat. This eased the helm and allowed me to bear off easily and power through the worst chop without stalling my rudder. Max, our genoa trimmer, kept a sharp eye out for waves and was constantly easing the sheet maybe an inch or two for the bad wave sets, then immediately bringing it right back in after the waves. It was windy and my backstay was on as much as I dared without distorting the main. Main distortion happens by over bending the mast past the mainsail luff curve.This kept the forestay reasonably tight, though still less than if we had the rig set to the tightest settings. Day two was a totally different kind of day. Light wind with small waves were the main setting here. We kept our rig loose enough that our headstay sagged a little. Even though the waves were small, it was so light that even some of the smallest waves pitched the mast-disturbing the flow over the sails. I needed some power in the rig to get back up to speed. It was too light to point, so I concentrated on keeping the boat moving. The rest of my focus was dedicated to the top main telltale. I adjusted the mainsheet often because even a small change in wind speed changed how that telltale flew. I was looking to keep it flowing 90% of the time for optimum flow. Once the rig was set to the conditions, we figured out what the right combination of height vs punch was, then on how to trim specifically for that angle. There is a ton of support within the J/24 class in Germany. It was great to see so much support go to the younger sailors in such an established fleet. An all-in-all great experience for J/24 competitors this year at Kiel Week. Congratulations to our clients for winning performance in Kiel! North Sails Mike Ingham provides insights to J/24 fleet competitors © www.segel-bilder.de © www.segel-bilder.de © www.segel-bilder.de © www.segel-bilder.de © www.segel-bilder.de Podium shot for the J/24 fleet. 1st Place team Nautalytics with helmsman Mike Ingham READ MORE

As the Official Sailmaker to the 35th America’s Cup, North Sails is proud to be an exclusive supplier to a historic generation of America’s Cup sailing. Congratulations Emirates Team New Zealand! A world-class victory for the Kiwis and a new era for the oldest trophy in international sport. READ MORE

North’s relationship with the 35th America’s Cup winner Team New Zealand runs deep. Named Official Sail Supplier in this edition of the Cup (and the first time in history!), North Sails were exclusive on all the boats, Defender and Challengers. All teams entered racing with a one-design set of North Sails 3Di jibs, used in tandem with a fixed wing. With the ever-changing landscape of our sport, North Sails has remained the technological leader in sailmaking. Today, North Sails supports Cup teams with crucial aerodynamic design support, producing sails that are consistently flatter, faster, and more durable. Our North Technology Group sister company, Southern Spars built the Emirates Team New Zealand winning boat; from hulls to foils and all the parts in between. The last few weeks have been a spectacle to watch and we’re already looking forward to the 36th edition of the oldest trophy in all of sport. Race Nine. The score was set at 6-1 (ETNZ – ORACLE TEAM USA) as the teams docked off amidst a sea of fans for day five of the finals. It was “match point” with just one more point required of Team New Zealand before winning the Cup. While fans of ETNZ called for the team to bring the Cup home some 9,000 miles to New Zealand, Oracle fans cheered the defenders to repeat their legendary comeback of 2013, when the Americans fought back against the Kiwis in what may have been the greatest comeback in history. Not this time. Not with steadfast Glen Ashby as skipper and ever cool Peter Burling at the helm. After a strong start, ETNZ wasted no time catching Oracle’s heels, scraping past after a gybe on the second leg and maintaining a strong lead for the remainder of the race. Team New Zealand celebrated, a smiling Peter Burling exclaiming, “It’s unreal, this is exactly what we came here to do, I’m just on top of the world.” With today’s historic win, ETNZ will bring the Cup back to New Zealand. In addition, Peter Burling becomes the youngest skipper to win the America’s Cup at age 26. “It’s been three years of hard work, probably 100 people working together toward this goal. We are just on top of the world. We’ve just been blown away by the support we’ve been getting on shore and back home, we’re just really excited to share it with everyone now.” For Skipper Glenn Ashby, who was part of the 2013 ETNZ squad, today’s victory was especially sweet (possibly sweet revenge?). “It’s been an amazing journey for Emirates Team New Zealand, one of those rocky roads that encompassed much more than just the past four years. The guys behind me and our entire team have fought tool and nail to win this trophy!” “We’d also like to pass on our heartiest congratulations to ORACLE TEAM USA. They set the bar for the racing and were fantastic competitors. Thanks for sharing it (the America’s Cup) around!” Congratulations to ENTZ, who we’re sure won’t be hi-fiving each other at tonight’s celebrations. READ MORE

35TH AMERICA’S CUP FINALS An update from North Sails President, Ken Read Bermuda has not disappointed! After a leisurely superyacht event and J-Class regatta, sailors, fans, and event organizers had a bit of time to take in the previous four America’s Cup races. The Kiwis on Emirates Team New Zealand enter this weekend’s finals with a four point lead ahead of Cup defenders ORACLE TEAM USA. No telling what the next few days hold for these two teams, but we can promise to be watching every single minute! READ MORE

SEGEL-BUNDESLIGA North Sails powers leading J/70 teams in Act 3 of German Sailing Series Eighteen J/70 teams arrived in Germany to compete in Act 3 of the class’s Sailing Series. The event overlapped with Kiel Week (Kieler Woche), held in front of the Olympic harbor in Kiel-Schilksee. The sailors got the most out of their visit to Kieler Yacht Club, completing 45 exciting races in difficult sailing conditions on Kiel Fjord. Lots of races to keep the sailors happy all weekend long, with most finishing positions coming down to less than a meter! “Even though we have made too many mistakes at the start, we were able to make good use of our chances on the race course,” explains Tobias Schadewaldt. The team Norddeutscher Regatta Verein, from Hamburg won in front of Segelkameradschaft Das Wappen von Bremen and the Berlin Yacht Club. The two-time “German Sailing League Masters” from Hamburg were happy to take the trophy home in the first event of this season. North Sails, partner of Kiel Week and the German Segel-Bundesliga, has equipped all the Bundesliga J-70s with North Sails One Design sails. A set consists of the world champion XCS-1 Mainsail and J-2 Jib, as well as the asymmetric race spinnaker in the AP-1 layout made from Norlon 75. The team from Norddeutscher Regatta Verein (NRV), with former Olympic sailor Tobias Schadewaldt onboard, managed to keep their leadership position over a number of days. With the southern winds declining on Monday, the team finished the third event with 37 points. A major contribution to their team work, Tobias Schadewaldt, Daniel Reichart, Florian Weser, and Klaas Höpcke had the goal of sailing consistently, knowing they could be out in front of the fleet in the changing wind conditions. Not always the easiest task in tricky conditions, teams were in a thick battle for the top three podium positions. “We are more than content with this victory. The conditions have been a bit more difficult at the beginning, but with the continuous performance of the last days, we could keep the lead. We are very happy.” Second place in Kiel was team Das Wappen von Bremen with team members Gordon Nickel, Thomas Dehler, Klaas Simon, and Morten Nickel with 39.6 points. “We had hoped for a lot of wind on the Kiel Fjord and with that for podium spot. It is a big surprise for us to achieve it even with light winds on the second racing day,” said Morten Nickel. Team Berlin Yacht Club, with Philipp Bruhns, Valentin Gebhardt, Maximilian Nickel, and Max Wohlfeil finished third with 41 points. “After a weak result on Sunday, we have completely turned it around. The change in wind conditions proved to be very helpful for us,” said Nickel. The three top finishers from the North agreed: “The Kiel Fjord is our area – we do not give the Southern Clubs any breaks,” said Gordon Nickel on team Das Wappen von Bremen. READ MORE

LAND ROVER BAR ACADEMY STEAL VICTORY IN RBYAC The Red Bull Youth America’s Cup came down to the final race in a climactic day on Bermuda’s Great Sound Great Britain’s Land Rover BAR Academy pulled a dramatic victory in the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup following a fantastic final day of racing on Bermuda’s Great Sound. Top youth teams from New Zealand and Switzerland rounded out the podium. North Sails is proud to be the Official Sail Supplier of the America’s Cup, and to have supplied sails to every team competing in the Red Bull Youth AC. Sail graphics were applied by North Graphics to all 26 sails (the AC45s sail with a soft jib and furling code zero) that were team-specific and seamlessly coordinated from sail to wing, to hull. Developed by Sport Directors and Olympic sailing legends Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher, the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup was introduced in 2013 as a launching pad to a professional career for the world’s sailing talent aged 18-24. Nine previous members of the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup are now on senior America’s Cup teams. Helmsman of Cup challenger Emirates Team New Zealand, Peter Burling, in fact drove the winning boat in the 2013 youth regatta. “These young talents are the superstars of the future, and after seeing the level of skill and competitiveness they’ve shown here in Bermuda, there’s no doubt they’re going to take the sport to the next level,” said Hagara. READ MORE

CLEVELAND RACE WEEK 2017 North Sails clients top One Design weekend in Ohio for Race Week! It was a nice weekend for sailing in Cleveland with 11 classes participating in One Design weekend, which also served as the Star Western Hemispheres, T-10 Lake Erie Championships, and the J70 Great Lakes Championships. North-powered clients took the top positions in seven divisions, taking the top five in the Interlake and Jet 14 classes. The Interlakes had a big turnout, much bigger than normally expected with 19 boats on the line. In this fleet alone there were five previous National Champions, making for a very competitive event for the division. The Tartan 10 fleet also had great numbers and excellent competition. Congratulations to our clients for finishing 1st through 5th in the Interlake Class, 1st overall in the J/22’s, 1st in J/24’s, 1st in J/70’s, 1st through 5th in the Jet 14 Class, 1st in the Melges 32 division, and 1st overall in the T-10 division. North Sails is a proud sponsor of Cleveland Race Week. We are happy to see the event be such a success and for our clients to do well in the standings! © DAVE MATHIAS © DAVE MATHIAS © DAVE MATHIAS © DAVE MATHIAS © DAVE MATHIAS © DAVE MATHIAS READ MORE

North 3Di RACE helps Swedish Fareast 28R team prepare for the Worlds RödeOrm sailing with a new North Sails 3Di RACE jib at the North Sails Trim Cup, May 2017 This August, Malmö, Sweden will welcome thirty teams from ten countries for the first-ever Fareast 28R World Championship. Göran Wiking is hoping to place in the top half of the event, which takes place at his home club in Malmö. He sails with good friends who “find sailing and racing very fun,” and together they cruised and raced an X-119 until moving to the 28R almost a year ago. In preparation for such a big regatta, Göran invested in new North 3Di RACE sails. Designed for boats under 40 feet, 3Di RACE delivers optimized performance through wide wind ranges. “We had a 3Di genoa on our X-119,” Göran explains. “I found it excellent, both in form and in endurance, so when we needed new sails for the Fareast 28R it was an easy choice.” “So far we have used the new 3Di for four days of racing,” Göran continues. “The form is excellent.” North Sails 3Di RACE is built with super-thin structural fibers that are laid out along the load path direction in multiple orientations and layers and then molded into a single balanced membrane. This construction method spreads the loads more evenly than a “string” sail, which means each sail maintains a consistent design shape up the wind range. Or as Göran puts it, “It keeps the form up in the wind register and is easy to trim.” The other advantages of 3Di RACE are easier handling and flaking and a longer competitive lifespan. “We are very satisfied with them,” Göran says. For more about the Fareast 28R World Championship, visit the event website. http://fareast28r.com/world-championship-2017/entrylist/ Wiking’s Fareast 28R RödeOrm heats up for a leeward end start at the North Sails Trim Cup, May 2017 READ MORE

Boats representing 18 countries battled in one of the toughest regattas of the year, with North Sails powering clients to place 1,3,4,5,9, and 10th overall The Dragon World Championships, which happens every two years, was an all-around success this year with nine beautiful days of racing in Cascais. Twenty four teams, representing 18 nations, brought their best performance to races held out of the Clube Naval de Cascais in breeze ranging from 15-22 knots. North Sails clients found great speed on the water, placing 1, 3, 4, 5, 9, and 10th overall. Also powered by North was 1st place Corinthian Rosie, with skipper Benjamin Morgen. Vicente and Joana Pinheiro worked tirelessly with their team at North Sails Cascais, offering overnight repairs to competitors throughout the week. Big thanks to the Cascais team for being there on site for the competitors. Happy sailors make for successful events! Congratulations to Andy Beadsworth and his team on Provezza Dragon for winning the 2017 Dragon World Championships! 1st Place Dragon World Championships! Congrats team Provezza, job well done! © Neuza Aires Pereira © Elena Razina North Sails Cascais Team © Neuza Aires Pereira © Neuza Aires Pereira © Elena Razina © Elena Razina © Elena Razina © Elena Razina © Elena Razina © Elena Razina READ MORE

North powered teams stack the top of the fleet in Sweden for Act 3 of the European Series In ideal conditions for the Melges 24, the top places in Act 3 of the class’s European Series were taken by corinthian teams, making for a refreshing change for the Swedish and Nordic Championships. In blustery conditions, waves were big, winds were strong, and team spirits were high as boats enjoyed thrills and spills in the top of the fleet. North powered teams placed 2nd through 5th overall; Geoff Carveth’s Gill Race Team in 2nd, Wes Whitmeyer Jr. close behind in 3rd with his team on SlingShot, followed by skipper Jason Rhodes with his team, MiKEY. In 5th was Blow Slam Racing, with Norway’s skipper Peder Nergaard. Nice job to our clients! Next stop, the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland July 28th! © Piret Salmistu © Piret Salmistu © Piret Salmistu © Piret Salmistu © Piret Salmistu © Piret Salmistu © Piret Salmistu © Piret Salmistu © Piret Salmistu © Piret Salmistu © Piret Salmistu © Piret Salmistu READ MORE

SIBLINGS EDDIE & KATE COX WIN 2017 MC SCOW NATIONALS North Sails’ Z Max Design Used by the Winners of All Divisions Photo by Regatta Girl Photography Rush Creek Yacht Club, Texas (June 17, 2017) – Eddie and Kate Cox took the MC National Championship title in a brand new Melges MC Scow powered by North Sails’ Z Max design. It is the first MC Nationals win for the sibling duo from White Bear Yacht Club. Cox won three out of seven races. The title came down to the final race. Leading up to the final day’s one scheduled race, Cox was close at the heels of regatta leader Mark Tesar. It was Cox vs Tesar in the final shootout. Cox set up on the starting line immediately to leeward of Tesar. Cox’s boat speed put his bow out, and just after the cannon the race was his to control. At the first windward mark he had a 30 second lead ahead of Kenny Wolfe and Virginia Hannen, the second place boat. Tesar was 18 boats back. Cox led the race wire to wire, holding off Wolfe and Tesar. Tesar climbed back on the last beat and finished with a 13th place, the deepest finish in a very strong, consistent regatta for the MC veteran. The day started with winds blowing 20 to 26 mph. A very patient Principle Race Officer Chip Mann and the race committee team held the fleet onshore until the breeze came down to 15 to 20 mph. It was fun sailing all regatta long with fair racing in moderate to heavy winds on Lake Ray Hubbard. Rush Creek Yacht Club proved to be a great venue for the championship, bringing masses of volunteers, strong leadership, and an excellent racetrack. North Sails finished first and second. Andrew Vandling won the Youth Division. Katie Arvesen took the Women’s Division. In the Grand Master’s Division, Greg Gust edged out Eric Hood and Kelson Elam. Mark Tesar won the Master’s Division followed by Bill Draheim and Ron Baerwitz. Mike Keenan took the Mega Master’s Division. In the Singlehanded Division, Mark Tesar beat out former US Sailing Team member Andrew Casey and Ivan Lopatin. Races were won by Eddie Cox, Mark Tesar, Bill Draheim, Will Crary, and Ivan Lopatin. The next three major-scale events for the fleet are the Masters Nationals, the Inland Lake Yachting Association Championship and the Western Michigan Championship. READ MORE

Update from North Sails Ken Read ahead of the America’s Cup finals The 2017 America’s Cup has delivered thrills, chills, and spills – and also great quality racing. Recap two weeks of racing before challengers Emirates Team New Zealand face ORACLE TEAM USA in the ultimate re-match. Since packing up their bases in 2013, New Zealand has not taken their eyes off the prize. Saturday, June 17th begins their final quest, the first team to win seven races will claim the Cup. READ MORE

North powered clients finish 1st in six divisions, wrapping up a fun and warm summer weekend in New England A beautiful weekend in Newport, RI for the 163rd New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta where 131 boats from all over North America came to enjoy sights and sounds of Newport as well as experience the beautiful New England weather. The dying westerly presented interesting sailing conditions for Friday’s around the island race, which is roughly an 18-mile race that goes around Jamestown. As the sailors were closing in on their finish line, the westerly had completely dissipated and the southerly filled in, giving everyone a chance to feel the cool sea breeze. Because it was delayed, the race was very close to being over, so sailors had to maintain their sail combinations, carrying them through the next range. Saturday was stadium style, which made for a great spectator day with fleets racing inside Narragansett Bay, and under the famous Newport Pell Bridge. Fantastic conditions, tough competition, and close quarters made for some great racing! Sunday’s racing for most classes was held offshore, also in sustainable wind conditions, creating the perfect ending to a weekend of pure sailing satisfaction. Congratulations to our clients! READ MORE

The Windy City keeps her promise and North Sails clients take the win in five classes overall, with local presence strong as ever The windy city did what it does best! A fun weekend in Chicago for the NOOD regatta where 146 boats came to compete on the cold and shifty waters of Lake Michigan. The local representation at the Chicago NOOD was top notch, with all but seven boats from Illinois or Indiana area being members of CASRA (Chicago Area Sail Racing Association). The overall attendance was strong from the Midwest, with many familiar faces, families, and friends sailing together on their hometown lake. North Sails local knowledge and weather briefing, lead by Perry Lewis and Andrew Kerr As predicted by North Sails Perry Lewis and Andrew Kerr in the local knowledge and weather briefing Thursday evening, a solid breeze delivered excellent and very challenging racing on the great Lake Michigan. When the gradient breeze is battling the thermal, anything can happen on the lake. Choosing the correct side, maintaining boat speed, sailing out of a hole with light wind (specifically on Friday), and often taking a “chance” on a side were all concerns for sailors in the tricky, shifty conditions. Being familiar with the breeze directions helped sailors navigate through Friday’s ups and downs. On Saturday it was a whole new ballgame with winds consistently above 20 knots, with occasional gusts over 30, leaving North Sails Saturday competitors and Rally Racers pushing their boats and crew to the max. Some, unfortunately, were unable to finish because of breakdowns, while most boats needed repairs at the end of the day. Smiling sailors still looked forward to redemption on Sunday and to hear stories of carnage and excitement from their fellow competitors at the regatta tent that evening. Sunday was a day for all, with the wind between 12-18 making it much easier for everyone to get around the race course. This upped the competition, with many close calls on the scoresheet as the sailors battled for 1st position in their class. Congratulations to North Sails clients at the Chicago NOOD and a special shout-out to local sailors onboard Tartan 10 ‘Mutiny‘ who’s fantastic performance secured them a spot at the NOOD Championships in the British Virgin Islands this October! North Sails Saturday: Rally Race award winners with Beneteau 40.7 team ‘Badge’ READ MORE

OLYMPIAN VITTORIO BISSARO FLIES WITH NORTH SAILS It was a great start for Vittorio Bissaro in the A-Class, the Italian athlete was second on the podium of the European Spring Championship, Arco. Despite being only his second race in the A-Class, Bissaro was successful in a fleet of almost 50A flying catamarans, among which there were previous World and European champions. Vittorio’s venture into the A-Class follows his Rio Olympic Games campaign with Silvia Sicouri, in the Nacra 17 Class. After the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, you moved your attention to the A-Class. Is your Olympic games experience over, or will you be looking to participate in Tokyo in 2020? The idea of trying the A-Class was born exactly by the fact that I have never stopped thinking about the Olympics. After the last four years racing in the Nacra, there are people now talking about the foiling Nacra for Tokyo 2020. Because delivery times are extremely long, instead of waiting and doing nothing I decided to join the A-Class to learn in a class that is continuously developing globally. The A-Class started foiling three years ago for downwind sailing, while the ability to foil upwind is just a recent phenomenon, I would say it started no more than one year ago. The A-Class is an open class, how was your boat developed? Currently, in the A-Class there are two predominant boat builders that build the boat for almost 98% of the fleet, DNA in the Netherlands and the Polish shipyard Exploder, where my boat was built. I opted for the Polish because the boat is more flexible and adjustable. Knowing from my first experience with sailing the Nacra, I wanted to have some space to maneuver for adjustments. In fact we worked a lot on the catamaran this winter and I would say that results of our work were pretty good in the first regatta of the season, held last week in Arco. Mischa Heemskerk, the current World champion, remained behind me in a few races, which was very satisfying. North Sails is helping you in the development of sails for the Nacra. What are your feelings about this collaboration? In contrast to the boat builders, the choice of sailmakers is much wider, there are at least five or six suppliers for sails to the A-Class. I first started with a Polish sailmaker who was recommended by the shipyard, but a series of issues with the design, the service and the quality, made me switch to North Sails. The idea of cooperation was proposed by sails specialist Giulio Desiderato. I also knew that North Sails was already working on projects with Glen Ashby, 13-time World champion and a legend in the catamaran. The designs are great, the quality is excellent, and Giulio has supported me all through the process making it the perfect choice. Since the very first day I knew things with North Sails would work great. The A-Class is in continuous development, are these changes perceivable also during races? Well, yes. The A-Class goes further than the choice of profile for sails. After foiling, some athletes started to work on masts, rigs, distribution of weights, etc. Everything is continuously changing and probably now it is really worth concentrating on the settings of the boat as a whole. Despite that you are a newcomer in the A-Class, you have already obtained some great results. What are your plans for the rest of the season? In mid August we will have the most important event of the season, the Worlds in Poland. Before that, I will go to Lake Iseo at the end of June for another event in the A-Class circuit and that will be my third race ever in the A-Class. The season is going to finish in Campione, but immediately after the Worlds all attention will be focused on 2018. You are not alone in this experience in the A-Class. Who is sharing it with you? I’m sharing it with a team, Lorenzo Bianchini is always training with me, he has the same boat as mine and also uses North Sails. Working with similar materials helps us to make better adjustments to the boats, otherwise you risk getting lost in the myriad of possible refinements that you can do on an A-Class. What are your feelings over the Nacra? Are you planning to have a new crew? The Nacra Class grew a lot in the lead up to the Olympics in Rio, but then it experienced a slow down. We are all waiting for the introduction of the new platform of the Catamaran, which will be presented at the end of June. The new Nacra should have Z-foils instead of C-foils and L helms, much similar to the actual configuration of the A-Class. These new introductions will change the conduction of the boat under the technical point of view. The Nacra should manage to fly both downwind and upwind, this will make races even faster and more acrobatic. It will be when this introduction is released that we will all start to focus on the Nacra again. Learn more about the North Sails A-Class designs. READ MORE

TRIPLE WIN FOR NORTH SAILS CLIENTS AT NYYC OD REGATTA North Sails powers Etchells National Champions, Melges 20, and J/70 Class Winners at the 2017 NYYC One Design Regatta Last weekend’s New York Yacht Club One Design Regatta was a great event and had perfect sailing conditions for all Etchells, Melges 20, and J/70 competitors. This event was also a part of the Etchells Atlantic Series and scored as the fleet’s 2017 U.S. National Championships, which began on Friday, June 2nd. Eight races were completed in the Etchells, allowing one discard. Twelve Melges 20 teams and 14 J/70 teams competed on June 2nd-3rd, totaling five races, also allowing one discard. Competing for the National Championship in the Etchells fleet, Steve Benjamin and his crew aboard ‘Stella Blue’ were untouchable with a total of 11 points after a 7th place throw-out, followed by George Francisco and his team on ‘American Baby’ with 28 points. A close battle for 2nd place, Chris Larson was just one point behind Francisco, with his team from Annapolis Yacht Club. North powered teams finished 1,2,3,4,5,6*, and 7th out of 15 boats. Congratulations to 1st place finisher ‘Stella Blue’ for winning the 2017 Etchells National Championships! The J/70 division saw a great turn out with 14 boats and tight racing, especially in the lead pack. Brian Keane’s ‘Savasana’ took first place, followed by John Brim and his team on ‘Rimette’. Bruno Pasquinelli placed 3rd with team ‘Stampede’. Beautiful racing conditions on both the J/70 and Melges 20 race courses, with excellent sailing from some familiar faces. The Melges 20 fleet was topped by Wes Whitmyer Jr. and his team on ‘Slingshot’ by four points. In second was Drew Freides and his team ‘Pacific Yankee’, who were also the overall winners of the Miami Series this past winter. The Melges 20 fleet is gearing up for the World Championship, which will be in Newport later in the fall. Some serious competition is expected from boats all over the world which will make for a great event. Congratulations to our clients this weekend on a job well done! READ MORE

Update from North Sails President Ken Read A semifinals filled with highs, lows, overboards and capsizes – sailing fans had plenty to take in while Softbank Team Japan, Artemis Racing, Emirates Team New Zealand, and Land Rover BAR battled for the one and only seat against ORACLE TEAM USA in the final America’s Cup match. READ MORE

North Sails has a long history with the America’s Cup, supplying every America’s Cup Defender and Challenger since 1988. Our shared story is one of innovation, often resulting in breakthrough sail design and materials. READ MORE

TOP JUNIORS AT THE 2017 SNIPE NORTH AMERICANS Snipe Duo Jensen McTighe & Andre Guaragna share their first-hand experiences in the Snipe Class at the North Americans in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida © Matthew Ditzel We caught up with top juniors from this years’ Snipe North Americans, hosted by Ft. Lauderdale Yacht Club. Jensen and Andre were in the heat of battle the entire event, finishing 3rd overall, coming just short of world class sailor Augie Diaz who finished 2nd. Here is what the young team had to say about their experience and the things in life that contribute to their successful Snipe sailing. They have an exciting journey ahead as they are attending the Snipe World Championships in August, held in Spain. This isn’t the first time they will be traveling out of the country to race Snipes, nor will it be their last! How often do you sail together? How does it contribute to your performance in the Snipe? “We practice a lot together, but we are both skippers so we do sail on our own quite a bit. We make a good team though and I think we both know each other well enough now that we don’t really need to talk about things, we just do it.” What was the hardest part about sailing at NA’s? “On the last day it was very hard to keep up. Staying faster off the wind was so important in the lighter air.” What was the funniest part of the weekend? “When we registered we got visors instead of shirts. We rocked the visors on the water, and only when we were in the boat. We think that also contributed to our speed that weekend.” You used the SW-4 at North Americans. What did you like about it? “We use both the SW-4 and the PR-3. The SW-4 was the weapon of choice for NA’s because it is versatile, but depending on how much wind we was forecasted it can be a better option to use the PR-3. At North Americans we wanted the most power through the big waves, so we chose the SW-4, which worked great.” I know the scores were pretty tight on the last day. What were you both thinking going into the last race at North Americans? “Right before we started, I said we can do this we have just one more race. We’ve been in second the whole regatta, we can do this.” “We didn’t think Augie was going to come after us like he did, and we weren’t expecting it. Coming into the finish it was so close, but we needed more opportunity upwind that would’ve gotten us a few more boat lengths.” What race at NA’s was the hardest for you? “In one race we were the first boat to round in front of Ernesto. He wasn’t too close, but he was there and ended up rounding the opposite bottom gate mark at the exact same time as us. We never saw him again after that.” What are your strengths and weaknesses in the Snipe? “We are still young and energetic which helps a ton because the Snipe is so physical. We are always pushing to work the boat harder than everyone else. That made us pretty fast at the NA’s. Our weakness would be overall experience, and we get a bit anxious and frustrated when the pressure is on.” How does it feel to cross the finish line in front of Augie in 4/8 races at NA’s? “It felt pretty good. One race in particular where we came in 3rd and he got 4th. We were able to pass Augie in the last quarter of the downwind. We looked back and saw his frustration, and thought wow we were pretty fast.” What things would you consider contributions to your results at NA’s? “The fact that I live right down the street and sail out here everyday is ideal. We think the same about racing and tactics, and we could stay on the same page both upwind and downwind. We were always in phase with each other, which really helped us maintain our position every race. We made most of our gains downwind in the bigger waves which was a lot of fun and paid off significantly in each race.” Andre, Now that you’ve had a taste of College Sailing at Jacksonville University, can you tell me what you notice is different about Snipe sailing and competing in college? “College sailing is completely different than Snipe sailing. College sailing is a lot shorter courses, you have to think about it differently when it comes to tactics. Snipes sail longer courses so it’s the whole race, not just the first shift you have to catch to be ahead. Because Snipe racing is a lot longer, you have to stay focused for longer, and keep in mind the big picture.” In your opinions, what is the hardest part about sailing Snipes? “Numbers and measurements, really more about the feel knowing when you are going fast. It’s really about feel when it comes down to it. You know when your set up looks right. There are many things that all add up to make you fast. The hardest part is managing all of the details, but it all starts with initial rig set up. Being able to feel if you are too tight or too loose is really important.” Are you excited about sailing in the World Championship this year? “Yes, we are very excited. We feel like we ready to get out there and compete. We feel like we are prepared mentally and physically, and we are going to do well.” What are your main goals in sailing? “We want to make the team for the Youth America’s Cup.” If you had the chance to meet any (pro) sailor of your choice, who would it be and why? “Ben Ainslie, because he is super successful and driven.” Contact your local North Sails Snipe Expert for the fastest sails in the class! READ MORE

Cougars were on the prowl this year taking 2/3 National Titles and the Overall Leonard M. Fowle Trophy A solid finish to a week in Charleston, SC at the 2017 ICSA College Sailing Nationals! North Sails is proud to sponsor the 2017 College National Championships consisting of Women’s Semifinals/Finals, Team Racing, and Coed Semifinals/Finals. We would like to congratulate the following teams for their honorable achievements and hard work throughout the week at the 2017 National Championships. Hats off to Yale for taking 1st in the Women’s Finals, winning the Gerard C. Miller Trophy, Boston College for taking second overall, winning the Kleckner Trophy, and the U.S. Coast Guard for placing 3rd overall, coming down to the last race to win the Ann Campbell Trophy. Special congrats to Erika Reineke, women’s A-division skipper for Boston College, for earning the Women’s College Sailor of the Year trophy after her fantastic performance throughout the week. Her teamwork, leadership, and sportsmanship over the past 4 years prove hard work really does pay off. Way to go! Special Awards were also given to the winner of both A and B divisions in the Women’s Finals. Winner of A Division was Boston College, taking home the Madeline Cup. Winner of Division B, Yale, took home the Judy Lawson Trophy. The College of Charleston Cougars were unstoppable at the Team Racing Championships, winning 21 out of 25 total races, with an 84% total average. They took home the Walter Cromwell Wood Bowl this year, breaking Yale’s 4-year winning streak and taking the title! When it came down to the Coed Finals, College of Charleston did not disappoint on their home turf, taking home the Henry Morss Memorial Trophy for the overall National Championship win. Yale was close behind, winning the Oxford University Yacht Club Trophy, and Dartmouth was awarded the Metropolitan Sailing League Trophy for third place. Coed Division winners were also recognized, with the Robert M. Allen Jr. Trophy awarded to Dartmouth College’s B-division team, and College of Charleston’s A-division team receiving the Robert M. Allen Sr. Trophy. Finally, the Leonard M. Fowle Trophy. The Fowle Trophy is determined by results earned throughout the 2016-2017 sailing season, including the Women’s Singlehanded, Men’s Singlehanded, Intermediate Match Race, Women’s Semifinals/Finals, Team Race Overall, and Coed Semifinals/Finals regattas. Again the College of Charleston Cougars have risen to the occasion and achieved the ultimate season goal; the overall 2017 ICSA College Nationals win! Cougar sailors everywhere, including fans and alumni, are proud to have the Fowle Trophy displayed at the CofC Sailing Center for the year ahead, representing their amazing performance across the board throughout the 2016-2017 college sailing season. Congrats Cougars! 2017 Quantum Women’s Sailor of the Year and Winner of A Division, taking home the Madeline Cup, and Women’s Kleckner Trophy, BC Senior, Erica Reineke. ©Michael Wiser Ann Campbell Trophy Winners, 3rd Place at Women’s Nationals, U.S. Coast Guard © Michael Wiser Yale University, Winner of division B, took home the Judy Lawson Trophy. 2nd Place overall at Coed Championships, taking home the Oxford University Yacht Club Trophy ©Michael Wiser CofC, winners of the Walter Cromwell Wood Bowl , 1st place Team Racing National Champions! ©Michael Wiser Dartmouth, placing 3rd overall winning the Metropolitan Sailing League Trophy , and 1st place in B division winning the Robert M. Allen Jr. Trophy ©Michael Wiser Henry Morss Memorial Trophy Winners, 1st place overall, CofC ©Michael Wiser CofC winners of the Robert M. Allen Sr. Trophy for first place finish in A Division in the Coed Championship Finals ©Michael Wiser College of Charleston Cougars, Winners of the 2017 Team Racing and College National Championship ©Michael Wiser READ MORE

Ladies gamble on the infamous Solent in the UK. North Sails clients take the top 3 spots in the overall IRC results Josie Gliddon and her team on North’s Peloton, overall regatta winner The 9th Dubarry Women’s Open Keelboat Championship was hosted by Hamble River Sailing Club (HRSC) over the weekend of 3rd and 4th June 2017 and sailed in the central Solent. A record number of 20 boats and some 150 women came to sail, continuing the growth of this event as a go-to for women’s keelboat racing. This number included the welcome return of the J/80 fleet as well as good numbers in both IRC Class 1 and IRC Class 2. Notable newcomers were the Royal Navy Team led by Laura Blagden in the J109 Jolly Jack Tar. This was the first time a complete crew of serving women have turned out to represent the Navy, and how appropriate on the centenary of the Women’s Royal Naval Service! If six races in two days were not enough, half the crew were going to sea on Monday for their day job. The ladies from the Senior Service were keen to lay down a challenge to the Royal Air Force and Army women for next year so that Jolly Jack Tar can win the 2018 services prize. After a number of years of interest, Southampton sailmaker Nicky Octon turned up for the first time in the Corby 35 NJOS. Another new Corby was the 25, M,Enfin!?, entered by HRSC’s own Sophie Chudziak. The forecast was for sun, and wind from various points west, so race officer Kathy Smalley, with a heavily female gender biased group of Hamble’s finest, set up station between Jonathan Janson (4Q) and Hamble Yacht Services (4V). There was quite a bit of north in the westerly, so to warm the crews up Race 1 featured a triangle windward-leeward. The size of the race courses all depended on the class you were in. Defending overall champions J111, Journeymaker 11, Louise Makin, were in the Class 1 start but were forced to take third place at the end behind the J122 R&W, Jo Quigly, in second and J88 J-Dream, Becky Walford, in first, proving that the J88 can sail to its handicap. Jolly Jack Tar, Laura Blagden, got off to a blistering start in Class 2, winning over Dubarry WOKC regulars, Black Jack 11, Annie Kelly and the much improved Berret Half Tonner, Chimp, Amanda Marino. The J80 Class saw Jitterbug, Clare Carden, win the first race ahead of Wildcat 111, Lucy Burn and Josie Gliddon in North’s Peloton. Regular Solent Sailors will know that when there is some north in it the wind, it is seldom from a steady direction, and so it proved for Race 2. The pressure was gradually building, however, and for crews who do not normally sail together the rest of the year, the sailing became more challenging. By Race 3, normal service was resumed in terms of direction with a classic south-westerly coming up from Lymington. The pressure, however, continued to build with 20-23 knots across the race course which concentrates the minds of most sailors. By the end of Day 1, North’s Peloton had proved that maturity, experience and the ability to hold a J/80 up in a blow gave them two bullets in races 2&3. Jitterbug was lying in second and Wildcat 111 in third. In Class 2, Blackjack 11 also went top of the leaderboard with two wins, from J92 Nightjar, the Scorpion Class Association, and Chimp. The same pattern led to Journeymaker 11, leading Class 1 over R&W, Mat 12 and Night Owl 2, sailed by Julie Fawcett with Dubarry WOKC chief organizer Jen Smyth on board. The highlight of day one was a double broach by J88 J-Dream near the leeward mark in Race 3, which meant that Nikki Woodroffe had to hang on to the boom, not once, but twice to avoid getting anything worse than wet legs and tired arms. Day two dawned and there was an eerie quiet over Hamble as the sailors recovered from the infamous “frocks and flip-flops” party the night before. Cruelly, the start times were half an hour earlier on Sunday and it seemed that the committee boat, Implacable, was going out on the Hamble on its own until slowly but surely all 20 competitors made it to the start area just southwest of Royal Southern (4S). The breeze was already SW and indeed it would not vary all day in direction, so Kathy Smalley was able to set up for a series of windward/leewards using East Knoll (4H) as the windward mark and Royal Southern (4S) as the leeward mark. Although not becoming as strong as Saturday afternoon’s conditions, the wind built to the upper teens in strength, which gave champagne sailing for those suffering from the previous night’s Prosecco. It also gave the opportunity for spectacular downwind legs and the odd incident or two. The first to go home early was NJOS, Nicky Octon, who had problems with their jib. At least they know a local sailmaker! The J80, Jitterbug managed the “mother of all wraps” on the last downwind leg of Race 4, and though they eventually recovered the red cloth, whilst disappearing towards Ryde, they decided to call it a day. Race 6 brought the most interesting incident. The Scorpion Class Association’s Nightjar stung Blackjack 11 up the transom with their bowsprit, as they surfed down a wave, which led to a bit of a cuddle before both retired. Fortunately, no one was hurt. And so, as they say, to the results. In the J/80 Class, those wily old birds on North’s Peloton managed to discard their first race 3rd and end up with a perfect score. The ever improving Seafire, Ali Hinds, came second and Wildcat 111, Lucy Burn was third. In Class 2, the bump up the rear end did not stop Blackjack 11 from winning by a good margin from Amanda Marino and crew in Chimp. The Royal Navy women in Jolly Jack Tar, Laura Blagden, sailed a consistent series to take third place. Army and Airforce women are warned. Journeymaker 11, Louie Makin, with only a slightly wet spinnaker trawl to their name all weekend, came home 2 points ahead of R&W, Jo Quigley in second with J-Dream, Becky Walford third. All that remained was the naming of the overall champions. When questioned about the formula used, Kathy Smalley gave a very credible answer which ended with “and multiply by the first number you thought of.” There was, of course, no supplementary question. It was a close run between the three class winners. Blackjack 11 scored 24.95, Journeymaker 11 scored 24.75, but the champions with 22.36 were Josie Gliddon, Jody Slater, Becs Reynolds Jones, Jane Saunders and Rebecca Sykes in North’s Peloton. Once again thanks go to Dubarry for some super prizes and the team at HRSC for running the event. The event raised money for two charities, Breast Cancer Care and the Hamble Lifeboat, which is still being counted as we speak! Next year will be the 10th Dubarry Women’s Open Keelboat Championship, which will be quite a milestone. The date will be announced shortly when the final RORC and JOG dates have been confirmed. Stay tuned ladies, this is a not-to-miss event! Written by: Trevor Pountain Full Results ©Trevor Pountain ©Trevor Pountain ©Trevor Pountain ©Trevor Pountain ©Trevor Pountain ©Trevor Pountain ©Trevor Pountain ©Trevor Pountain ©Trevor Pountain ©Trevor Pountain ©Trevor Pountain READ MORE

LIGHT WINDS AT THE VIPER 640 ATLANTIC COASTS Tips on Tuning the Rig for Extreme Light Conditions Congratulations Zeke Horowitz, Sam Stokes and Ian Coleman! Photo SpinSheet Magazine | spinsheet.com Fifteen Vipers gathered for the Southern Bay Race Week in Hampton, Virginia to race for the Class’ Atlantic Coast Championship. The breeze was extremely light for the 3 days of racing and each day had several major wind shifts and a couple of total glass offs. LIGHT WIND TIP FROM ZEKE When sailing in the extreme light air conditions we had at the ACC’s, it’s important to make sure you get your rig tune soft enough to let the mast flex, and to remove enough mast blocks to let the lower mast bend. In under 6 knots, the rig tune should be about 20 on the uppers on the PT1 Loos Gauge, and you should set your lowers so that you see a hint of leeward “sag” in the mast when sighting up the mast track. Remove enough mast blocks so that when trimmed in, you still have to use the mast puller to pull the mast into the blocks to generate pre-bend, flatten out the lower part of the main sail, and induce head stay sag. On our boat, 2.5 inches of mast blocks was the right setting. Also remember that trying to point can be deadly upwind in light air! Press on that jib and get the boat speed up first! This gets flow on the foils to create lift and ultimately give you your ability to point! NORTH AMERICANS UPDATE There are currently 71 Vipers signed up for the Beacon Group Viper North American Championship in Ft. Walton Beach, FL this October. The North Sails team is super excited to support the NAs. Join Zeke, Eric Doyle, Jackson Benvenutti and Ched Proctor for the North Sails Tuning clinic a couple of days before racing starts. We look forward to seeing you there. Contact Zeke Horowitz for assistance with sails or logistics for the NAs. READ MORE

North Sails clients dominate the leaderboard in Westport, CT 1st Place Youth Team. Congrats to team ‘Mudratz’! No less than 350 sailing fanatics found their way to Connecticut last weekend for the annual Cedar Point Regatta, which was a great turn out for the J109, J105, J88, J70, and Beneteau 36.7 fleets. On Friday, North Sails Regatta Services provided a clinic and debrief to give competitors feedback on techniques, boat set up, and fine tuning. North Sails’ Brian Hayes, with help from the Cedar Point Yacht Club event staff, ran several practice starts and races. The team focused on videotaping sailors’ techniques to offer ideas on trimming and boat speed improvements. Unstable conditions were not the easiest for the clinic attendees, but the breeze forecast was expected to be strong for the weekend, and emphasis on crew work and timing had significant importance. The Race Committee did a great job managing Saturday’s “blustery” conditions as best as possible, allowing competitors to get some fun and challenging racing in. Time management was key this weekend, and the PRO’s on both courses were on top getting the most out of the wind and daylight. The army of “yellow shirt” volunteers made the event a total success, the team in constant motion working to shorten courses and anticipate the shifts. With the club’s strong OD sailing program and grassroots involvement, it was clear all weekend that Cedar Point YC had it going on. Saturday and Sunday provided great sailing conditions. Post race debriefs hosted by North Sails showed video of the day’s highlights, including some carnage in the breeze! The North Sails Regatta Services, team led by Chuck Allen, provided photos for all sailors so they could see what was needed for improvement within their team. North Sails’ local legend, Ched Proctor, a Cedar Point YC member competing in the J/88 class, provided some key points and shared some of his personal pearls of wisdom with the sailors at the tent after racing. North Sails is proud to partner with the members of CPYC to host some of the best One Design sailing of the summer. 1st Place J/88 Team, ‘Escape’ with skipper Elizabeth Barry 3rd Place J/88 team, ‘Jazz’ 1st Place J/109 Corinthian team, ‘Emoticon’ ‘Escape’ heading downwind J/109’s Edging upwind First Place J/70 Doug Clark with team ‘Mudratz’ sailing upwind J/105 1st Place, ‘Good Trade’ Puffy conditions at the bottom of the course Exciting day on the water! Carnage from Saturday The Atlantics Fleet, with North Sails Overall Winner ‘Shucks’ coming out on top Daily debriefs with North Sails Experts READ MORE

Update from North Sails President Ken Read Checking in from the America’s Cup TV Commentary booth (best seat in the house!) is North Sails President, Ken Read, updating us on the action in Bermuda’s qualifying round. Oracle Team USA will take on five challengers in these initial two round robins: Artemis Racing, Softbank Team Japan, Land Rover BAR, Groupama Team France, and Emirates Team New Zealand. The 2017 America’s Cup is officially underway. READ MORE

J/70 ITALIAN SERIES: ALCATEL CUP North Sails Teams Take Act 2 of the Italian J/70 Series Scoring 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9, and 10th! Great results from Malcesine, Italy where Act 2 of the J70 Italian sailing series took place this past weekend in the most beautiful sailing conditions. With 68 teams on the starting line, North Sails clients placed 9 out of the top 10 with unbelievable performances by the top finishers in both overall and Corinthian division. Overall, an impressive victory for team ‘Calvi Network’ with skipper Carlo Alberini and crew members Branko Brcn, Karlo Hmeljak, and Sergio Blosi. They won the regatta with four bullets! Using North Sails XCS 1 mainsail, J2 jib, and Ap1 kite, they were faster than ever and were untouchable! The Corinthian podium was also proudly powered by North Sails. First place was team ‘White Hawk’, with skipper Gianfranco Noe. In second was ‘Pensavo Peggio’ with skipper Andrea Magni. In third was ‘DAS Sailing’ with skipper Alessandro Zampori. Congratulations to our clients! Next stop, Garda for the Euro Cup! READ MORE

A historic fleet convenes in Bermuda for the America’s Cup J Class Regatta The J Class boasts an incredible blend of classic allure and the latest advancements in modern technology. With roots in the world’s oldest international sporting event, the heyday of the J-Class was in the 1930s when ten yachts (six American and four British) were built to race in the 1930, 1934, and 1937 America’s Cup. Since then six replicas have been built to original lines, the earliest being Ranger in 2003. Still today, the unique beauty of the J Class captures the heart of sailors and spectators alike. This June the fleet will take to the waters off of Bermuda for a historic regatta, boasting the highest attendance the fleet has ever seen, as part of the 35th America’s Cup. Russell Coutts, CEO of the America’s Cup Event Authority, said, “The Js still epitomize grace and power with cutting-edge design and engineering. Having the J Class join us in Bermuda will create a spectacular blend between the old and new, showcasing the best of America’s Cup challengers and defenders from almost 90 years apart.” How to Follow The J Class America’s Cup regatta will take place on the 16, 19 & 20th June 2017. Due to their deeper draft, the Js will race off of Bermuda’s North Shore in Murray’s Anchorage. The first start is scheduled each morning at 1135. Depending on conditions, the race committee will run two races, each just over an hour long. Can’t make it to Bermuda? Stay in touch with exclusive updates and race coverage from North Sails, and track racing live from the J Class Association. North Sails is proud to be the Official Sailmaking Partner of the J Class Association, and looks forward to a historical summer of racing ahead! READ MORE

North Power Dominates J/24 North Americans with 1,2,5,6,8, and 10th Overall Team ‘Bogus’. 2017 NA Champions! © Chris Howell Another solid weekend under our belts as J/24 sailors headed to Houston, Texas for the North American Championship. Mother Nature dished up some great sailing conditions, ranging between 10-20 knots of solid breeze. Twenty-nine teams came to Houston to represent their hometown clubs, with only one winner in the end! North Sails Saturday kicked-off with expert Mike Ingham giving a thorough morning weather briefing, providing insights on trending conditions that were expected that day, and assisted competitors with their rig set up. Expert Will Welles joined Mike after sailing, debriefing sailors on what they saw on the water and facilitating a group discussion about what worked well, and what didn’t. Great competition and perfect conditions made for an all around successful event with North Sails three-time champion Will Welles, securing 1st place yet again with his all-star crew on ‘Bogus’: Jeff Linton, Erik Rexford, Chris and Monica Morgan, earning 4 bullets out of 10 races. Mike Ingham took 2nd with his team ‘Nautalytics’, Carter White with team ‘Sea Bags Sailing’ placed 5th, followed by St. Petersburg local Todd Fedeszyn with his team ‘Spoony Tactics’ in 6th. Natalie Harden close behind in 8th with team ‘Giggles’, and ‘Muy Muy’ with skipper Patricio Sly in 10th; all powered by North Sails. Congratulations to our clients for their amazing performance this weekend. Keep up the hard work- Worlds is only 3 months away! Full Results © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell READ MORE

Ft. Lauderdale, FL to Mission Bay, CA- Snipe sailors are making waves all over North America! Jensen McTighe and crew Andrew Guarangua, top junior team at 2017 North Americans. © Matthew Ditzel Last weekend, Snipe sailors gathered on both coasts to take part in the competitive racing and friendly sailing the class is known for. On the west coast, Mission Bay YC hosted the Herb Shear Invitational and meanwhile on the east coast, Lauderdale Yacht Club put on the 2017 North Americans. Both events were a success for the Snipe fleet, with new friendships made and old friendships rekindled. In Ft. Lauderdale, blustery conditions welcomed the fleet with sunshine and 18-23 knots of fresh sea breeze. Twenty-six boats from five different countries were rewarded with great conditions; 4-6 foot waves to ride all weekend, and technique-oriented upwind and downwind legs for a challenge. Slightly lighter pressure on Sunday gave the sailors somewhat of a break, gradually building to a nice 8-12 knots. The race committee scored eight total races, granting the fleet one one discard. The racing was close all weekend, especially within the top positions in the fleet. No room for errors with this group! Big thanks to Peter and Connie Commette for running a great event at LYC. With the added help of Tom Lihan, the Race Committee never ceased to disappoint. A special congratulations goes to North-powered 3rd place finishers, Jensen McTighe and Andre Guarangna, the youngest crew at the event who sailed very well against the World Champion and Olympic-level competition. Full Results In California, Mission Bay Yacht Club and Fleet 495 hosted the Herb Shear Invitational. The West coast competition was prominent in beautiful 18-20 knot winds and flat water inside Mission Bay. The scoreboard did a bit of a shuffle when the breeze lightened up on Sunday, before the regatta wrapped up with nine total races including one throwout. The family-friendly scene of the Snipe class can be felt worldwide, with widespread support and strong traditions that have been maintained throughout the class’ history. Friends sail with friends, family with family, and couples can be found all over the fleet. The highlight of the Herb Shear this year was a visiting couple from Norway cruising around the world on a 44-footer. They hadn’t sailed a Snipe in years but wanted to participate if they were able to get the equipment to do so. Members of Fleet 495 got them a boat and all the parts needed to sail the regatta, proving again that making new friends and sharing great memories is what this class is all about. Full Results For more information on how to get the fastest sails for Snipe, visit North Sails One Design: Snipe or contact your North Sails Local Expert today! Andre and Jensen, Top Junior Team at 2017 Snipe North Americans, placing 3rd overall. Ft. Lauderdale, FL © Matthew Ditzel Herb Shear Invitational © Judy Tillson Herb Shear Invitational © Judy Tillson Herb Shear Invitational © Judy Tillson Herb Shear Invitational © Judy Tillson Herb Shear Invitational © Judy Tillson Herb Shear Invitational © Judy Tillson Herb Shear Invitational © Judy Tillson Herb Shear Invitational © Judy Tillson Herb Shear Invitational © Judy Tillson READ MORE

Tough loss for Artemis Racing, a welcomed win for Softbank Team Japan Race 13 – Land Rover BAR vs Groupama Team France In the first race of the day, Ainslie and Land Rover BAR matched up against Cammas’ team on Groupama Team France. BAR had the advantage from the start and seemed to be running away with the race, until Groupama came back with impressive speed in Leg 3 – it took nothing but a shaky rounding from BAR for Groupama to the steal lead. Before the next gate BAR had closed back in on the Frenchmen, hitting a fascinating 40 knots boat speed, but still a boat length or two behind. Groupama managed to hold them off and ultimately secured a lead of 53 seconds at the finish, claiming their 2nd race in two days. Race 14 – Emirates Team New Zealand vs Artemis Racing Next, in the most action-packed race we’ve seen so far, Emirates Team New Zealand and Artemis Racing faced off in the second match of the day. Over seven legs we saw nine lead changes, starting and finishing with a penalty. Artemis Racing punched the start a half-second early, and ironically fell victim to another penalty around the final mark – a close call initiated by the Kiwis, asking for more room to round. From the looks of it, Artemis gave way to the inside boat, but according to Pete Burling on ETNZ more room is needed when approaching a rounding at speeds up to 40 knots. Otteridge and crew were unable to exonerate the penalty before the finish, seeding the win to Burling and Emirates Team New Zealand. Note: America’s Cup Race Management (ACRM), the independent organization that oversees the rules of the America’s Cup, shed light on the umpires decision here. Race 15 – Groupama Team France vs Softbank Team Japan In Race 3, Groupama Team France aimed to continue their winning streak when they faced off with SoftBank Team Japan. Unfortunately for Groupama, the Japanese pulled off a beautiful start and crossed the line to windward, with about 10 knots more pace on. Barker and Softbank Team Japan crushed ahead with boatspeed hitting 38 knots, and maintained 100% fly time until a slight nose dive in Leg 5. A comfortable, yet welcome win for SoftBank Team Japan. READ MORE

Yale, BC and Coast Guard claim ICSA Women’s National Podium, wrapping up the first event of College Sailing Nationals The ICSA College Sailing Nationals kicked off on this week in Charleston, SC with the Women’s semi-finals, where 32 universities competed for the top nine positions in the Eastern and Western conferences. Nine races in each division rounded out a rainy series on the Cooper River. Winning the Eastern semi-finals was the University of Rhode Island, and claiming the Western semis was Yale University. The 18 teams in the finals sailed a total 18 races in a variety of conditions, spanning from yesterday’s 15 knot Southwest pressing into a three-knot current, to today’s contrast of minimal wind yet still plenty of current. Yale has proven to be the most consistent on the water, with the Boston College Eagles a near match. Yale’s secret weapon was the pair of freshman skipper Louisa Nordstrom and crew Claire Huebner ’18, who held a strong hold on B-division for most of the week. The first day of finals (Thursday, May 25th) closed with Yale 13 points ahead of Boston College, who were 29 points ahead of the US Coast Guard Academy in third place. Four races were sailed in Friday morning’s light breeze and, perhaps too many sailors’ relief, the wind picked up a bit for tricky, oscillating conditions in the afternoon. With Yale and Boston College holding strong in first and second place, the battle for third was on. The University of Rhode Island, Stanford University and U.S. Coast Guard Academy all put up a good fight. It ultimately came down to the last race in B Division, with U.S. Coast Guard able to pull ahead of URI by just two points, rounding out the podium for the 2017 Sperry College Sailing Women’s Nationals. North Sails is a proud sponsor of College Sailing. Still to come in the week ahead are the team racing nationals (May 27-29) and the coed fleet racing nationals (May 30-June 2). Follow live results and tune into live stream coverage of the finals here. Congratulations to the Women’s fleet for a competitive week of racing, and hats off to the finalists for fighting to the very end! Sailing for Yale is Casey Klingler ’18 with Natalya Doris ’17 and Christine Klingler ’20 in A-division, and Louisa Nordstrom ’20 with Claire Huebner ’18 in B-division. Sailing for Boston College is Erika Reineke ’17 with Fiona Walsh ’17 in A-division, and Allyson Donahue ’17 with Tara Ferraris ’19 and Madeleine Loosbrock ’17 in B-division. Sailing for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy is Nikole Barnes ’17 with Anna Maria Vaccaro ’19 and Anna Morin ’19 in A-division, and Dana Rohde ’18, Madelynn Widmeier ’19, and Maddie Ekin ’20 in B-division. READ MORE

North Sails clients take 9 of top 10 positions at 2017 J/24 US Nationals J/24 Nationals is a wrap! Thirty two boats participated in the three-day championship, with strong participation and support from local J/24 Fleet 26. Aside from racing, the sailors enjoyed making new connections and learning what they could from each other. Lots of factors in the game for this event, with light air and strange current in Puget Sound keeping sailors on their toes. Nine races with a generous discard gave sailors a break, however the scores stayed very close in the top 10 positions. Thursday was designated as a practice day, though without enough wind to sail, the North Sails on-site team hosted a dock talk. Lead by North Sails experts Will Welles and Brian Janney, who finished 2nd on USA 5208, the dock talk allowed for a beneficial group discussion among competitors. Many questions were asked and answered. Local sailors shared knowledge of the sailing area and sailors from around the country shared techniques. The fleet was very competitive in light air, which was prominent throughout the event. Current and eddies along the shoreline were considerations, which made decisions tricky and the importance of making the right decision even more of a priority. Playing the current well served huge gains, as well as spending as much time as possible on the lifted tack upwind. Keeping your head out of the boat and eye on the dark water was also very important and made a big difference within the top 10. © Chris Howell “It was never the same way twice it seemed,” said Welles, who placed 2nd at the event. Local sailor Keith Whittemore and his crew on Tundra Rose leveraged their intel particularly well on the 2nd day, judging when the wind wouldn’t shift any farther right. They placed their bets on the left side early which proved beneficial. The current was also much stronger on the left, but that being said it was hard to decide if it was worth getting into. The wind was still so light there was concern that it could be impossible to get out of the strong current when it was time. Boat speed was important, but so was staying between your competition and the marks. The breeze filled in much sooner in the day on Sunday, allowing the committee to get in three good races before the event came to a close. Keith and his team were able to minimize mistakes, allowing them to stay out ahead of the pack the majority of the time. “They were unbelievably fast,” said Will. A fun regatta with newfound friends and experiences to remember, are the things every sailor in the J/24 fleet can take away from this event. Welcoming new sailors to your home club and sharing your knowledge of the craft shows a lot for the J/24 class and its sailors as a whole. Big thanks to Seattle Fleet 26 and RC volunteers for making this event a success. Will commented, “Sailing with friends is what it’s all about”. Congratulations to our clients for their strong performance in the top 10, and special congrats to Keith Whittemore and his team Tundra Rose for taking the overall win. © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell READ MORE

Class 40 Imerys tackles the uniquely challenging offshore race, powered by renewable energy and North 3Di sails © Rick Tomlinson On Friday, May 19th, Phil Sharp and Pablo Santurde won the Normandy Channel Race, crossing a line off of Hermanville in the wee hours of the morning. Not only did the pair sail their Class 40 Imerys on renewable energy alone, they finished the race in record time to set a new benchmark: 4 days, 11 hours 15 minutes and 50 seconds. Originating in 2010, the Normandy Channel Race is a popular double-handed offshore challenge in France. The course is varied and challenging, covering 1,000 offshore miles between the English Channel and the Celtic Sea as well as coastal portions off of France, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Challenging navigation zones brought on tight competition throughout the week-long journey, forcing sailors to be relentless and maintain focus to make sound tactical decisions. Imerys crossed the line just under three hours ahead of Jeand Galfione and Nicolas Ttroussel in 2nd place on Serenis Consulting, also powered by North. The following seven boats all finished in a busy two-hour span between 6:17 am – 8:19 am. Upon reaching the dock, lots of wide smiles from sailors and spectators alike gave the great feeling of a race sailed and finished well, with plenty of challenges in between. Phil began working with the North Sails team based in the UK before his entry in the Quebec – St Malo Race in 2016. A new mainsail was delivered on short notice, the same 3Di ENDURANCE main Phil and Pablo had up when they won the race this week. In the past year, Phil has expanded the inventory on Imerys to include a North Sails 3Di ENDURANCE J1, NPL SPORT J2, and a code zero, A6 and code 5. “Massive congratulations to Phil Sharp and Pablo Santurde on winning the highly competitive Normandy Channel Race on their Class 40 Imerys, on behalf of all of us at North Sails. It has been a pleasure to work on the sails for Imerys and collaborate with Phil on maximizing the boat’s performance.” – Jeremy Smart, North Sails in Gosport, UK © philsharpracing.com © philsharpracing.com © philsharpracing.com © philsharpracing.com READ MORE

One of the most dramatic events in modern sailing occurred in 1983. Australia II, with its famous winged keel, defeated US defender Liberty and took the America’s Cup abroad for the first time in its 200 year history. It was a stunning victory for the Aussies that resonated far beyond the sailing world. As both boats carried North sails, the company also rode the wave. Both Liberty and Australia II used revolutionary warp-oriented sail cloth for the first time. Aboard Australia II, a crew led by skipper John Bertrand hoisted sails of different material split front-to-back: polyester panels worked out of the luff and the layout switched to woven aramid, or kevlar, at the leech. The sails used a tri-radial layout, designed and developed by Tom Schnackenberg of North Sails in New Zealand, and were thought to be considerably lighter and less stretchy. Aboard Liberty were skipper Dennis Conner and tactician Tom Whidden. In 1987 Conner and Whidden would have their revenge. With the whole world watching, the pair guided American challenger Stars & Stripes to victory over Aussie defender Kookaburra III in a tense, windy series held in Perth. The Cup returned to US shores, Dennis Conner became a household name and Tom Whidden was hired as President of North Sails. Today, the America’s Cup remains a key platform for North sail development. Whether racing 12Metres, IACC sloops or wing-masted foiling catamarans, AC teams have helped North pioneer breakthroughs in sail technology such as 3DL aramid/carbon laminates, asymmetric spinnakers, 3Di composite sails, and the design horsepower behind a wing and soft sail working together. Commissioned by Alan Bond as a challenger for the 1983 America’s Cup, Challenge 12 (KA-10) was a point of reference for Australia II (KA-6). Here the two yachts are shown in the Challenger Series prior to the 1983 Cup. At the launching of Kookaburra III in Freemantle, before the 1987 Cup where she lost to Dennis Conner’s Stars & Stripes ’87, returning the Cup to US shores. READ MORE